


The Show Goes On

by TheHallowedLady



Series: Zero Safety Nets [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Aerialist, Circus, Fey Laurentine - OC, First Meetings, My First Fanfic, OCs - Freeform, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Recall, feel free to help me improve I need it, look it's 3 am and I'm scared to post this, minor mention of anxiety attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 13:38:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14333604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHallowedLady/pseuds/TheHallowedLady
Summary: Jesse never went to a circus as a child. When one's passing through the town he's staying in while on the run, he decides to see what all the fuss is about. Good thing the aerialists didn't cancel.---I've never written fic, only original stuff and I'm not great at either. this was a personal project just to show myself I could.





	The Show Goes On

**Author's Note:**

> Okay listen it's 3:27 am and I've been fighting my anxiety to bring myself to post this. It's not good, I'm awful at writing romance and it feels stilted and off to me. But I did it and posted it, and that was my goal. If you have writing advice or spot typos, I'll gladly take advice on board as long as it is kind and not belittling. We're all still learning and I struggle to write characters that are already prewritten.

 

The café was well-lit and mostly empty when McCree dragged himself out of the midday heat, only two other tables occupied and a tired-looking waitress who smiled at him from behind the counter. The cowboy almost threw himself into one of the booths by the back, one with a clear view of the room and its exits.

“Just a coffee, darlin’, black if ya don’t mind.” He gave the waitress a charming grin and settled into the seat a little more comfortably. Simplistic, kitschy décor gave the place a homely feel, which set him at ease. Being on the road for so long could leave a man wanting for a place to relax. Not entirely, but at least a little. The only other two patrons were an elderly couple in the corner, and a pair of teenage girls whispering and giggling from their table. Was it the hat? It was probably the hat.

“One black coffee for the Cowboy” the waitress – Molly? Mella? The writing on her nametag was awful - chuckled as she placed down the cup. “You aren’t from around here, I take it?” she added, tilting her head with a smile. McCree chuckled back, flashing that same charming grin.

“Now what gave that away?” He asked. She smiled back at him, a faint blush over her face.

“Call it a hunch – oh, but if you’re going to be in town long and get bored, here-” she turned back to slide a flyer from her apron pocket underneath his cup. “You came along at the right time. These guys only come round once a year for a weekend.” She added, giving him one more friendly smile before the sound of the door opening pulled her attention away. McCree sighed in relief once he was left alone again, taking a mouthful of bitter dark coffee and glancing down at the flyer the woman had left.

 

**_CIRCUS EXTRAORDINAIRE_ **

**_TRADITIONAL TRAVELLING CIRCUS, AUTHENTIC ACTS AND ACROBATICS_ **

**_COME AND SEE FEATS YOUR EYES WON’T BELIEVE_ **

**_FIRE SWALLOWING, CONTORTIONISTS, DEATH-DEFYING AERIALISTS_ **

**_FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!_ **

 

McCree scoffed at the wording. “There ain’t much these eyes won’t believe anymore.” He muttered to himself. The flyer featured pictures of people performing tricks and circus acts. “Didn’t even know a travellin’ circus was still a thing” he added. It did seem interesting though. Not that he’d be able to afford a ticket. Even affording a room was hard at the minute. It…did look kinda fun though.

That train of thought was soon derailed by an angry huff of breath from a table not too far off. McCree’s eyes flicked over to the other table. He could only see the back of a head of short black hair, so dark it almost looked blue in the lighting. Broad shoulders and strong arms caught McCree’s attention next, nicely framed by the dark blue shirt the stranger wore. Even a hint of ink curled at the man’s wrist when he moved to cross his arms in blunt irritation at his companion. McCree couldn’t help but stare at the way those muscles flexed with the action. _‘Damn… forget the circus, I’ve got a show right here.’_

Opposite sat a young woman, her own dark eyes and dark skin flushed with frustration judging by her face. She even growled slightly as she angrily jerked her hand up to brush loose strands of white highlights away from her face.

“Come _on_ Haru! I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, you know this!” the woman seemed caught in a cross between begging and ordering, trying to keep her voice low in the way people do when they want to yell but it just isn’t socially acceptable.

“What you are asking is ridiculous!” The male, Haru, replied, his shoulders tensing in his own anger. “I am not qualified to-”

“Technically, neither am I! You’ve been with us for nine months and – thanks Macey - I know you’ve been following and picking up what we do! It’s one show, and I’ll never ask again, I _swear_!” the woman continued to plead, only pausing to smile at the waitress when their order was delivered.

“One of the other performers would be much better suited.”

“You already have the muscle and flexibility, and Grace told me you’ve played around on them when you think we’re not looking! I am literally begging you, Haru. _Please.”_ McCree’s lips quirked into a humorous smile as the woman clasped her hands to her chest, those big, amber eyes going wide and glassy in one of the best sets of puppy eyes the cowboy had ever seen. Even her bottom lip started trembling as she held expression. Even he might have given in to such a face.

“We had an agreement, I would not have to--” The stranger began again, only to be interrupted once more by the woman.

“Haru. Please.” She had lowered her voice to a whisper, the frustration and fight falling out of her shoulders as she slumped forward, staring at the table now. McCree had to strain to hear her words. “I can’t do it alone. Dad won't let me, not after last time. I need someone up there with me and with Oliver gone and Emma down…I _trust_ you. I won’t be able to do it without you.”

McCree’s focus shifted back to the male. Even with only his back to work from, he could tell something she had said had impacted on him. The man was completely still in the chair, the air around him seeming charged and electric until with a sudden deep sigh, the tension fell out of the air. He turned his head towards the window and McCree caught a look at his profile. Strong cheekbones, a regal slope of a nose, thin lips downturned into a frown. Exactly the type McCree would have flirted with if he’d met them in a bar. He took another sip of slowly cooling coffee, almost missing the next words the two exchanged.

“One show. No more, and never again.” The handsome male growled out and oh, wasn’t that an attractive sound.

“Never again unless you ask first. I promise.” The female replied, a wide grin splitting her face as her eyes danced in joy. “The routine was already picked out, if we go now I can teach you before we have to start setting up for tomorrow. Thank you, thank you so much for this” she praised and thanked him. The frown on Haru’s face just deepened.

“You are a fool to trust me, Fey.” McCree barely caught the angry muttering as the two dragged their chairs back to stand. Fey smiled again and reached out to slowly rest a hand on his shoulder.

“I was born in the circus, Haru. Being foolish and taking risks is what we do.”

When the door swung shut behind the two, McCree glanced down to the flyer under his cup again. Circus, huh? He’d never seen one as a kid. No time in Deadlock or Blackwatch either. And it was a one night only show…he caught the waitress’ eye as she grinned at him, giving him a wink and glancing to the flyer. He raised his cup and looked over the colourful images and bright, excited words once more.

_‘What’s one night gonna hurt?’_

\---

 

It was easy to sneak into the campground, a fenced off area just outside the town, dead grass and sandy earth crunching under his boots. McCree had left the cowboy hat, serape and spurs behind this time, and it was almost laughable how easy it was to slot in with the other workers hauling poles and fabric and supplies from one of the vans.

The main circus tent looked well underway in the fading autumn sunset, just a few more poles and hooks to go. There was already an alley of games and food stands funnelling the first few people through towards the brightly coloured big top tent. Screaming children and couples laughing, a few clowns parading up and down that made McCree shudder and back away from, his mouth curling in disgust as he ducked into the alley space between two stalls to avoid one walking his way. Someone chuckled behind him.

It was the man from the café earlier. His short black hair was styled back away from his face except for one loose bang, and his expressive eyes lined with gold and black widened in surprise when McCree suddenly turned, before slipping into indifference. Those strong arms crossed over a wide chest, clad in a jacket and pants made of a soft looking, floaty material. McCree grinned, turning to face him fully.

“Hey now, don’t go laughing at a man for havin’ a fear of clowns. There ain’t no shame in it.” He grinned, leaning up against one of the vendor stands, relaxed and open in his posture. The man made a noise of discontent and rolled his eyes, eyebrows furrowed in a way that should not be as endearing as it was.

“What is there to be afraid of? They are merely actors, hiding behind masks just the same as the rest of us here.” And well, wasn’t that a voice McCree could stand to hear again. The cowboy let out a low hum, cocking his head to the side and training his gaze obviously over the man, noticing how he bristled like a kitten at the action.

“I don’t know about that, Darlin’. I don’t see a mask on you. Just a pretty face I wouldn’t mind starin’ at a little closer if you’re willing.”

The man reared back in shock, and oh, was that a blush rising to his face? Jesse wished the lighting was better than the steadily growing twilight and the cheap fluorescent bulbs from the vendor booths so he could tell. It only lasted a moment before the man was glaring and even that shouldn’t have been as attractive as it was.

“You are as bold as you are ridiculous, cowboy.” Jesse decided to push it before the man could walk away again.

“Then how’s about I be a little bolder and ask one of Heaven’s angels if he could keep me company for a time?” He asked with a charming grin that had gotten more than one person’s attention in the past. Jesse’s grin only got wider when, despite the glare and anger lighting up those pretty eyes, that blush came creeping back up even stronger. Getting yelled at would be worth it for such a handsome man to be the one doing it.

“There you are!”

Unfortunately, before either of them could respond further, a hand curled around the man’s arm and tugged him backwards, away from Jesse. The woman from earlier at the café. She was dressed in a white bodysuit now, sparkling like snow in the light. White spirals and dots had been painted over her face, highlighted with silver glitter that was even dusted through the white highlights of her hair, where it was tied in twin buns. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Jesse, then looking back at the man.

“Haru, you can flirt later. You need to come and get ready. We have two hours till time.”

“We aren’t up until the end, Fey.” Haru replied, trying to pull his arm out of Fey’s grip.

“Warmup, makeup, costume and setup. Let’s go!” Fey pulled on his arm again, sending him stumbling a few steps towards her. ‘ _girl’s strong for her size._ ’ Jesse thought. Raising his hand to tip an imaginary hat at the two of them, he interrupted their argument, startling them both.

“Well, looks like you got a busy night ahead of ya Angel. Maybe I’ll have to stick around just to see what ya’ll are up to tonight.” Fey snorted and stopped pulling Haru’s arm to look at Jesse properly.

“As if the show’s even worth seeing if you’re not going to see what we can do!” she replied with a smirk on her face. Haru’s frown just got even worse and that glare turned down to his partner, who only laughed. “Don’t look at me like that, we can do this. It’s going to be great. But only if we _go and get ready!”_ She hissed out, gritting her teeth and pulling him along again. Jesse watched the two disappear towards the trailers parked far behind the main circus tent, the dark-skinned woman gesticulating with her arms loudly while the man, Haru, remained controlled, still arguing it seemed.

Jesse sighed, looking towards the main circus tent, and the clowns greeting people at the entranceway, and shuddered. Still. He’d come this far. Even if it meant staying till the end, he was curious. “ _And who knows, sticking around - might get a chance to talk with the guy some more.”_

\---

The circus was…underwhelming, mostly. It was a small troupe, and the ringmaster was a gaudily dressed man who spent more time proclaiming to the audience about the acts than the performers spent doing them. Jesse found the fire eaters interesting, blowing out fire over the audiences close enough to feel the heat, but the jugglers barely got past three balls, and the ‘sword swallower’ probably couldn’t have swallowed a dick if it was three inches long.

Jesse had to stop himself laughing at the knife throwers trying not to hit the ‘volunteer’ from the crowd. _‘Man would Gerard have a field day at that’_ He thought, immediately regretting it as melancholy swept through his memories. He shook it off as the magician entered the stage, but even that was easy to see through the sleight of hand and distraction tricks. Jesse could even recognise some of them from his own days in Deadlock. Overall, underwhelming and boring.

Until…

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the act you have all been waiting for. Almost cancelled until a last minute substitute was found only yesterday!” The ringmaster waved out their arms, then almost seemed to curl inwards, brought a finger to their lips, and gazed out over the audience. “We ask here, for silence. No loud noises. No flashing photography. You will notice, at the choice of our performers, there is no safety net. The risks are real, and we implore you all to never try these without professional training. As we introduce to you tonight, the death defying, high flying, gravity defying, our very own aerialists!”

Jesse McCree finally sat up and paid attention as the spotlight shifted to a high point in the centre of the tent. Music began low from the speakers, ethereal sounds with no words that only seemed to add to the atmosphere. Illuminated in the spotlight was a hoop, suspended in the air. Hanging upside down, curled perfectly into the center of the circle was a figure. It spun slowly, until the figure released their legs and, twisting into a flip, was suddenly sitting inside the hoop in the air. To Jesse’s disappointment, it was the girl from before, not his own stranger. Her white costume and glitter sparkled in the stage lights like the moon or stars.

Jesse ended up paying so much attention to the woman as she twisted from the hoop, even joining the audience in quiet applause at one difficult looking stunt where she was hanging by only the top of her foot hooked around the hoop, before the music changed. The beat became powerful now, strong enough to reverberate in his ribs. Another spotlight, and now Jesse’s breath caught with that thrumming bass drum in his chest, because _oh-_

The cowboy wasn’t ashamed to admit the first thing that caught his eyes were the muscles. His handsome stranger was wearing only deep, azure blue pants that were perfectly hugging his waist and leaving a little fabric loose around his ankles, but besides from that, Jesse had a perfect view of the sculpted chest and muscles that moved and flexed with each twist of the man’s body. The gold and black makeup from earlier only added to the fierce look on his face, patterns of scales across his shoulders and down his left arm highlighted muscle movement and made for one hell of a show. Jesse didn’t even realise his jaw had dropped until the person next to him chuckled, whispering ‘pretty incredible, huh?’ Jesse agreed.

That was an understatement. Jesse watched him up in the air, suspended by only a strap around his hands as he circled above the audience, splitting the straps into two before twisting into a somersault in the air, soaring through the sky with his arms outstretched like an angel. ‘ _Or a Dragon…’_ Jesse amended.

Haru eventually came to rest on a tiny platform protruding from one of the poles, barely wide enough to stand on. The focus shifted back to Fey as she twisted in her hoop, hanging from it only to fold herself upwards in an upside down split. Hooking one knee over the hoop she pulled herself through just in time for Haru to swing across the front of her, pulling the hoop into a spiral that had Fey twisting until suddenly between one moment at the next she was on the strap beside her partner. Jesse could see now how they were watching each other so closely. Eyes on each other so intensely. It made something rear up in his chest a little. Just a small thought that weaselled its way in to whisper _‘I wonder if he’d look at me like that’_ closely followed by an image of being up that high with nothing but a strap of fabric to support you. Yeah…on second thought there how ‘bout no thanks.

Instead, he turned back, watching the two spiralling through the air. They watched each other so intensely the entire time. Jesse felt something he would rather admit to never seeing a single western movie before admitting it felt like jealousy when with a sudden twist, Haru was hanging horizontal in the air with arms clasped behind his back while Fey clasped her fingers behind his neck, pulling herself up to rest her forehead against his. It was an intimate and beautiful show.

Suddenly, the two swung forward again, towards the pillar closest to Jesse. Fey was released from the strap, leaving her partner to twist away from her into the air again. A spotlight illuminated her as the audience watched her take a blindfold from around her wrist, looping it over her eyes. Muffled gasps and whispers filled the audience. Meanwhile, Haru twisted again in the straps, a fluid and graceful upside-down X-shape that captured Jesse’s attention far better that the woman ever could. The slow movement of the straps eventually meant he was facing towards Jesse.

His face was screwed up in concentration, until those eyes opened and immediately caught Jesse’s gaze. For a brief moment it felt like the entire circus had vanished. Just him and the aerialist staring down at him, the music faded away, the whispers became nothing. Just those bright, surprised eyes staring down at Jesse as the cowboy could stare back up in what he hoped was a reflection of the awe and adoration he felt. Just that simple moment, as the stage lights glittered off of the blues and golds of the man’s clothes like a jewel in the sun, and the air between them felt electric.

So of course the moment was broken by a loud gasp of shock.

The other aerialist had jumped, somersaulting once, twice, three times in the air towards Haru. Blindfolded, she couldn’t see he wasn’t ready. Wasn’t prepared to catch her. The moment was broken just as Jesse saw true, panicking fear fill the man’s eyes as he looked to his partner. She was still too far off. Haru tried to twist back down but already she was falling, missing the mark, going to hit the floor. The hard, unprotected floor.

And suddenly the audience collectively gasped as somehow, Haru had dropped the pose, dropping one of the straps just to get enough reach as he swung out, grasping his partner by the fabric of her costume and dragging her up to his chest in a spiral that could have almost looked like part of the show. Almost. Even from his spot tucked away in a corner of the stands, Jesse could see how both their chest rose and fell too fast to be simple Adrenalin. Fear. That hadn’t been scripted.

\---

 

With no more incidents, the routine finished in peace. As soon as it was over, Jesse escaped out, ducking around the back of the tent towards where the performers’ entrance should have been if he’d scouted correctly. He rounded a corner of the tent then immediately pulled back.

“Haru, come on, breathe-”

“I- I cannot-”

“Hey! Hey, look at me! I’m here. I’m fine. We’re fine.” She was kneeling in the dirt in front of him, the man curled up by a few of the storage boxes, head between his knees, breathing heavily in deep, ragged gasps. Jesse couldn’t see clearly in the din lighting, but he’d bet if he could, those knuckles would have been white with how hard they were gripping his legs close.

“I told you. I told you it was foolish. I should not have done it. That was too close.”

“Okay, enough of that. I asked you. I trust you, I told you I-”

“You trusted me not to let you fall! I _failed_ that! I -” The man finally raised his head from between his knees. His eyes were wide and the low light still reflected off of the unshed tears filling them. It made Jesse’s heart ache to comfort the man. However disrupting them now probably wouldn’t help anything much…

Fey reached out her hands to rest them on his knees. “I didn’t ask you to perform with me because I trusted you not to let me fall. I expect to fall. I’ve fallen before. I asked you because I trusted you to catch me. I trusted if something happened, you’d keep me safe. And you did. It was a good show. You caught me, Haru.” Fey sighed, resting her head on his knees. “Thank you…”she murmured, before standing up. Even from his distance, Jesse could see how her legs shook still. Though her words were steady, She’d been scared, that was clear.

“I have to go back inside for the final act. Stay out here, I’ll bring you some water as soon as we’re done. And thank you, again.” The man didn’t even react as she disappeared back into the tent. Jesse waited until the man finally seemed calm, watching his shoulders drop and turning his head towards the skies, looking up to the stars.

“Dreaming about when you fell from heaven, Angel?” the acrobat jerked like he’d been shocked, whipping around to face Jesse with an open and hurt expression that quickly shut itself away. Jesse immediately wanted to see it again. He took a few steps forward, and when he wasn’t immediately rebuked, slit down to sit next to the man.

“Visitors should not be around here.”

“Don’t see you telling me to leave.” Jesse replied, taking the near permanently attacked flask of whiskey from his belt and handing it over. “Here. Calm your nerves a little, y’look higher strung than those ropes ya’ll were just hanging from.” Jesse immediately regretted his words when the man tensed up again, almost tearing the flask from Jesse’s grip and downing a few swigs of whiskey with a grimace. He handed it back and the two shared the silence for a while before Jesse broke it again.

“Impressive stuff in there. Must be scary, holdin’ someone’s life in your hands like that. Your girlfriend’ must a’ had a lotta trust in you keeping her alive.” Haru flinched away from the cowboy at those words, an incredulous expression on his face when he turned to Jesse.

“Miss Fey Laurentine is not my partner in any sense outside of the stage. She asked me to fill in. I did so, but I am no acrobat. Merely a stage hand here.”

“Really? Could’a fooled me. You looked a natural up there. All Grace and shit - like a bird, or a snake…”

“Hmph, at the least if I am going to be on show like some sort of trick pony, I will not do so half-heartedly.” Jesse felt his mouth twitch into a smirk at the pride in the man’s voice. It soon fell away again however, as the man’s face fell again. “She…she was a fool to trust something so important to me. The blind jump – she should have put off the show, or found someone else. I was more the fool for agreeing.” Jesse reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder, startling the man. The aerialist looked from the hand on his shoulder to the cowboy, and his eyes were so full of pain Jesse wished he could give the guy a hug just to give him a chance to relax.

“Maybe she wasn’t so big a fool as you though, Darlin’. She trusted you enough to ask after all. How long you two been with these guys anyway?” he asked, hoping a distraction might help bring back some of the man’s fire from before.

“I – Fey was born here. Her parents are the knife thrower and other aerialist, as is her brother. She was supposed to perform with them, not me. She could have died…”

“But she didn’t. Because somebody had quick thinkin’ and skills to save her. Someone who, if I heard right yesterday, only had twenty four hours to learn all that shit. Besides, you wanna blame anyone for what happened, blame me. I’m one hell of a distraction, I know.” Jesse threw in a wink for good measure, and his grin spread when the man’s mouth quirked up into something almost resembling humour.

“Blame you indeed, Cowboy. It isn’t every day I find myself being watched so…intensely. It was quite the distraction.” That made Jesse laugh and risk sliding his flesh arm around the man’s shoulders, pulling him close. He tensed at first, and Jesse loosened his grip in case the man wanted to pull away. He didn’t, and after a moment Jesse felt a weight rest against his shoulder as the man rested against him with a sigh. “I admit I do not usually allow people so close.”

“You flatter me, Angel. By the way, you got something else I can call you? Not that I mind calling a spade a spade, but sure would be nice to know the name of the most handsomest man I ever did see.” Even though he’d heard the man be addressed as Haru so many times, Jesse knew what someone running away looked like. This way, at least he could give his angel a chance to decide how he progressed from here. And oh, now Jesse could feel that blush radiating heat against his shoulder while he rubbed soothing circled into the man’s bare arm. He was still shirtless, and slightly chilled in the evening air. Jesse held him tighter in response.

“…Hanzo.” Came the muffled reply.

“Hanzo, huh? Pretty name for a pretty fella. Name’s Jesse, Darlin’. Now, as much as I like you all curled up to me like this, when that adrenaline finishes wearin’ off you’re gonna feel the cold something fierce.” Jesse almost startled when he heard the acrobat give a soft chuckle.

“And here I thought you had been enjoying the view. Or was I mistaken with those looks you gave me?” He purred out, turning his head up to look at Jesse with a coy smile. And if that didn’t just make Jesse snort out a laugh.

“Sugar, you’re a show I could enjoy all night long, but right now I don’t think that’s what you need.” He reached out with the prosthetic hand to brush over Har - _Hanzo’s_ cheek, enjoying the way that rosy blush made the glitter around those high cheekbones stand out even more. “But my earlier offer still stands – I’d be honoured to have the company of one of Heaven’s finest this evening, if you fancied showing this old Cowboy around.” He offered again, groaning as he pushed upwards to stand, holding out a hand to the acrobat.

Hanzo rolled his eyes, staring up at Jesse, and Jesse made a note of how much prettier those eyes looked when they were shining from a smile than tears. His fingertips were already chilled when Jesse closed his own warm fingers around them, pulling the man to his feet.

“I am no Angel, Cowboy.” Hanzo huffed at him, smiling up at him. Now they were standing so close, Jesse could see just how much shorter Hanzo was compared to him.

“Watch yourself on those straps and tell me you couldn’t picture wings on yourself, then maybe I’ll believe you.”

 

 ---

 

The night was a blur of colours and sounds after that, with Jesse simply enjoying the company of the man next to him. The two wandered from stall to stall with no real aim in mind, watching others playing the rigged carnival games while Hanzo whispered in his ear about how exactly they were rigged. Jesse made jokes and secretly cheered every time he made Hanzo laugh, while Hanzo talked about Fey and other nameless people in the circus with a detached air about them. Jesse even noticed how Hanzo worked to pull them away from areas with clowns, a little thing that made Jesse’s chest feel warm. At some point, despite the long coat Hanzo had returned wrapped up in, Jesse found himself curling his arm around the man’s waist, holding him close. All too soon the circus was closing, the lights dimming, and Jesse was violently reminded of the flyer from the café. _‘One night only…’_

“Hey, Angel.” Jesse tugged his shorter companion into another darkened space between stalls. “Where’s the next town on your little show’s list?” Jesse asked. Hanzo’s eyes widened, looking around as if he had only just remembered the time, and suddenly the little bubble of joy that the circus lights had cast around them was broken. Jesse looked around them. He could already see the tents being packed down, the stalls closing up and the trailers being filled.

“We…don’t know. We are not usually told until we have almost arrived there.” Hanzo replied. Jesse frowned at that. He couldn’t risk travelling with them, if his past caught up he’d be putting everyone at risk, including his own little angel. And there’s was never any guarantee they would meet up along the way. Unless…

“So, the lady in the café said you guys come here once a year. I wanna make a deal with you, Sugar. I ain’t never met anyone like you, and I’d sure like to see you again. Maybe even get to know you a little better than just an hour. If we cross paths again, and you’re interested in it, you let me take ya on a date. A real date. If we don’t, then you’ve got a year to forget about me or not, and either way I’ll be right back here to watch you soar again, Angel. What’d ya say?”

Jesse’d barely finished his sentence before cool lips were pressed against his own. Hanzo’s hands curled into his shirt and dragging him downwards. It was a chaste thing, barely a brush of soft lips to his own, a hint of something more in the action before Hanzo was pulling away with a wry grin that had no place looking so attractive on him.

“Consider that my answer, Cowboy. A year, if not sooner.”

Jesse didn’t even realise until he was back in his stuffy room at the local inn that there was gold glitter smeared across his cheek and shoulder from Hanzo’s costume makeup. He couldn’t get it out of his clothes for weeks.

Strangely, he found himself smiling every time he saw it, and decided maybe he didn’t mind much.

\---

 

_CIRCUS TENT BURNS DOWN IN SUSPECTED ARSON_

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If I feel up to it and improve my skills enough, I had the beginnings of a post-recall multi-chapter sequel planned to this. This idea existed because I watched too many cirque do soleil and aerialist videos. Again, please give me tips on pacing, wording and characterisation. It's all helpful and all appreciated after all.


End file.
